Thump Thump
by DreamyLoner
Summary: Xiang and Emil dwell in two different realms. Their paths finally cross when the war renders the human realm battered and corrupted. In an attempt to save Emil, Xiang breaks the rules and crosses the border, only to hear Emil whisper that he would love him till the last beat of his heart. Warnings: angst, tragedy, character death. HongIce, NorHong


At first glance, Lukas thought it was a ball of fire, burning ceaselessly in the dark.

The snow, tainted by a long crimson trail, led him towards the deepest part of the woods.

He stomped through trees and shadows, his breath coming out as frost. His eyes darted everywhere in search of his brother. Corpses scattered on this white land. Snow, upon the caress of blood, melted into a pink puddle. Lukas fought back the tears. His face, his hands, his clothes were all painted red.

'Emil!'

The scream shot through the night. It echoed in the forest and as the waves bounced off from the leaves, the branches and the stems, the fiery creature in the depth of the woods twitched.

It eyes widened as its tail swayed from side to side.

Lukas came to a halt. He stared both in anguish and in fury at the red creature in front of him.

The fox lifted its head and met his gaze. Its crimson fur, soft as snow, light as feathers, glittered gorgeously in the dark. It licked the last blood from Emil's chest. Emil's face was pale, his eyes hollow. Traces of tears lay beside his ghostly smile.

Wounds and bruises covered his body. Lukas could picture the scene, of his brother, getting struck by swords and arrows, collapsing to the ground, crying his name as he writhed, squirmed and suffered slowly before he met his doom.

And then Lukas saw the creature. It jumped out from the woods, attacked all the intruders, tore open their chests before digging out their hearts.

Emil was the last victim. He lay panting on the ground; the realm of divine. The read creature prowled and sniffed his shuddering body. It was the same fox Emil had been looking for ever since he was child. He met this fox numerous times, near the border that separated humans, wizards and beasts. Every time they would just stare at each other. Emil would hide behind a tree and peek. The fox would be resting on a gigantic stone, silently watching him.

Lukas screamed and wielded his sword.

'No!' shouted Mathias, finally catching up with his companion. He tried to hold Lukas back but to no avail.

Lukas leapt from corpse to corpse and lunged at the fox spirt.

Raising his sword, he recalled an ancient spell. Before his blade came in contact with that beguiling fur, he took once last glance at Emil's body.

Empty.

It was empty.

The hole in his chest.

Lukas shivered at the sight, the sword shaking in his hand. The fox looked up at him, its orbs shimmering with anticipation, as if it had foreseen Lukas's move, as if it had predicted its doom, as if it was willing to accept this punishment.

The older brother cried. So loud the entire forest came alive.

Tears streamed down Lukas's face. He screamed out the curse and stabbed the creature. Its blood floated in the air like snowflakes. It let out a quiet moan before crumbling on top of Emil's body.

A thousand years ago, a deal was struck between two realms. Anyone who crossed the border must pay their price.

A spirit that had broken the rules would have its fate left in the hands of a human.

Likewise, any humans who had crossed the border and caused chaos in the other realm would suffer from their deeds.

The chains rattled as the boy dragged his broken limbs.

Lukas stood at the door, hands crossed as he stared down at this divine beauty. The boy had dark, brown hair. Sometimes it glowed in the light, just like his fur. His eyes were dark and piercing, his skin white, smooth and tender. Lukas could look at his naked form all day long and his eyes would always stop at this monster's chest. Many times he suppressed the urge to stab this creature and pluck out his still beating heart. It would be an insult to his brother.

He loathed this creature so much; just as much as he had to learn to love him.

This creature had a name- **_Xiang_**. It means fragrance.

Emil used to talk about this mysterious creature with a tantalising scent that spread across the border. As a child, he loved to wander in the forest and seek company from the animals rather than humans. The human world was so full of wrath, pain and filth Emil didn't care for. Still, he got dragged into this war.

Xiang was a dweller of the spiritual realm; a young fox spirit that had strayed from his pack. He had been lingering around the border for a while, staying as close to Emil as possible.

'Give me back his heart,' growled Lukas as he yanked Xiang up by his hair.

'I cannot do that,' replied the fox spirit.

'Then you're not leaving this place,' threatened Lukas as he crushed Xiang's head against the wall. The metal chains rattled. The now tattered spirit stared into Lukas's eyes with the most sincere smile.

'I don't plan on leaving either,' said Xiang. 'He would like me to stay.'

'Why,' cried Lukas, shaking his head. 'If you have loved him like you claimed, you should have saved him. Save him from death. I'll give you anything; everything I've got. Take my life instead. Feast on my heart. Just. Bring. Him. Back!'

Xiang remained silent. No matter how many times Lukas shook him, beat him, tortured him, he never responded to his question.

He was just a few hundred years old. He had not enough magical powers to resurrect the dead.

This fact alone would haunt him forever. He failed to save Emil.

Emil's heart tasted of sweet blossoms and bitter tears. Xiang would never forget that.

He had waited for so long, even if it was just for a second, he wouldn't mind, to touch Emil, to snuggle up against him, to hear the beating of his heart.

When the war broke out in the village, he prayed for Emil to be alright. When he saw him that night, fighting gallantly even though he was fragile, inexperienced and frightened, he blamed himself for arriving so late. He couldn't save Emil.

He watched him fall gracefully into the snow, his blood dispersing like petals.

'Go…away,' muttered Emil in his last breath. He smiled at Xiang, the little red fox he had always wanted to meet in close proximity and had secretly adored.

Even though Lukas kept telling him that humans and monsters could never be together, Emil always believed that this feeling was mutual.

And his speculation was proven right when Xiang leapt through the barrier and landed on the other side of the border. He slaughtered every one of the warriors that had hurt Emil, dug out their hearts and swallowed them.

'You….demons feast on hearts…right?' asked Emil.

Xiang lay beside him. He finally got to touch those furs. So soft. So soothing. So aromatic.

'Can I…ask you a favour?' asked Emil.

Xiang twitched a little. Emil held the fox close to him and smiled. He tapped his heart with his last strength.

'Take it,' he whispered. 'Keep it. Make it yours. Don't let it…go to the soil and decay.'

Xiang didn't respond. In no way would he take Emil's heart. No. He would eat any other humans' hearts to survive but not Emil's. Definitely not-

'Please…' pleaded Emil as he leaned close to Xiang's ear.

The fox sighed and with a light spin, turned into a boy in a crimson robe. Emil blinked at the androgynous beauty right above him before he dove in and sealed their lips together.

How he wished he could have held Xiang for a bit longer. How he wished he had got that opportunity to undress this crimson robe, to fondle that porcelain skin, to caress those pink lips and to whisper in his ear that he had been waiting this long, dreaming day and night just to crave for his warm embrace. How he wished he could tell him that he was gorgeous, both in his spirit and in human forms.

He was the most beautiful thing on Earth.

As the claws dug deep into Emil's chest, he shut his eyes and lay tranquilly in Xiang's arms. His heart continued to beat. It felt so warm in Xiang's palm. It was the most precious thing in the world.

With each bite, Xiang saw through Emil's memories. He lived through his birth, childhood and teenage years. He felt the respect, the affection, the loyalty Emil had for his dearest brother. He was engulfed by Emil's burning love and everlasting yearning.

He would take this heart, keep it, make it his.

'Bror.'

Lukas stopped at the door and whirled around. Xiang crawled forward. In his frail skeleton, he managed to reach Lukas's feet and stared at him blankly. For a moment, Lukas thought he had misheard the word.

'Jeg elsker deg.'

Lukas gasped.

A faint smile brushed across Xiang's face. For a split second, it looked identical to Emil's smile whenever Lukas ruffled his hair and spoiled him with liquorice.

Lukas fell to the ground.

For the first time since Emil's death, he burst into tears.

The chains came off Xiang's limbs. He wrapped his arms around Lukas.

His heartbeat echoed in his ear.

 ** _Thump. Thump._**


End file.
